Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus; each were Dinosaurs who’s primary function in 2012 is as globular masses full of hot air and gas. These amazing small-brained creatures walked the earth millions of years ago and were the dominant force … or at least that’s what they thought. They were eventually wiped-out by a tiny foe they mostly ignored … climate. For reasons we believe we understand, the climate changed, the earth cooled, froze and the dinosaurs all died as a result. They did not stand a chance.

Small-brains never plan ahead nor are they ever proactive, curious, or insightful. Like many of the Dino’s , they seem only interested in conquest, feeding their pie-hole, and pooping like crazy. I’m certain these great beasts would have welcomed someone with a bigger brain to join their team and give them a better contingency plan to deal with a “worst-case-scenario” like … extinction. Well, help never arrived and now they are just “goo”.

However, we have discovered a new dinosaur that walks upright among all other humans, (homosapien’s). This Dino has a large brain yet amazingly, refuses to use it. The creature is purely consumption-focused and holds fast to a belief-structure that places emotion above science and reality. This Dino is never pro-active and is certain his tribe is the dominant force over the earth. This creature hates reality and will instead drink its own kool-aid before it will accept any implication it does not know everything. In other words, this Dino hates fact-checking!

Sound familiar?

This Dinosaur in human form has a name and the name is, “Denyasaurus”.

Theses folks are as useless as the dinosaurs that proceeded them and became extinct. The Denyasaurus’ are unwilling to accept their individual culpability and responsibility to deal with massive changes in their environment. Although they have thumbs and big-brains, they are not like many logical humans because the actions of the Denyasaurus could actually lead to the extinction of every other species on the planet. No logical creature or reasonable human would risk extinction when they could do something positive to reverse course. Unfortunately, the Denyasaurus is neither logical nor reasonable.

One of the more frustrating traits of the Denyasaurus clan is the rigidity of their belief structure. They do not believe in the 12-step process most addicts have to go through in order to save their lives. The process starts with the following acknowledgement: “I am an addict and can’t control my addiction”. If you find yourself “denying”, you’re never going to find yourself “solving”. The Denyasaurus refuses to acknowledge their impact on the earth itself.

In many instances, people can and should debate and challenge each other and their beliefs. When ones beliefs specifically impact that individual alone, most of the time it is best to butt-out and let them do what they want to do. However, if their belief turns into individual actions designed to negatively impact the lives and health of everyone else … well, it becomes time to butt-in.

Climate Change: “Is it real and do I have anything to do with it?”
What are the competing positions?

The competing positions are being argued every day in public as well as in academic circles. The arguments come down to two distinct positions that I will summarized in my own words:

Position 1- Global Climate Change is not happening and is over-hyped. Any efforts to mitigate Climate Change will destroy businesses and taxpayers. Your clan believes your actions have no impact on the environment or the climate and your world is naturally cooling and warming regardless of how you live, produce, or consume. You are free to consume at any level you can afford. You refuse to accept added regulation of pollutants. You are smart enough to voluntarily reduce how and when you choose to save or waste. You also refuse to invest in science that uncovers more about the human impacts on climate change. Your clan denies humans have any real impact on climate change because humans are simply not powerful enough to change the global climate.

Position 2- global Climate Change is real and smart investments to mitigate Climate Change will save businesses and taxpayers. Your clan believes humans may have a negative impact on the climate and the environment. You believe you have an individual and collective responsibility to improve the environment. You are working aggressively to make modifications to how humans live, produce, or consume, and believe it is possible to reverse the negative trend and improve the environment and the climate well into the future. Your goals are to stop emitting pollutants in manufacturing, mandate the reduction of pollution, increase recycling, develop neighborhoods in concert with the surrounding environment, and intelligently reuse assets. You are using peer-reviewed science to prove that humans can have a positive and a negative impact on the environment. You are then developing proven scientific methods to ensure humans act in ways that can produce a positive impact on the environment.

As a nation, which position do you want to bet the future of your Grandchildren on?

1). If the Denyasaurus is wrong, and humans make no changes in the way they impact the environment, lives will be impacted , property destroyed, costs could dramatically increase, and people could die.
2). If those that believe humans have a role in improving the climate, and by taking proactive steps, lives will be impacted in a positive way yet no one will die as a result.

The question to ask is: What happens to our country if either of these positions/concepts are right? More importantly, what happens to our country if either of these positions/concepts is wrong?

As a nation, I ask again, which position do you want to bet your future on?

A million years from now, the remains of the Denyasaurus will be found. They will be as completely useless then, as they are today.

4 Responses to Deny-a-saurus; the World’s Last Dinosaur

“However, we have discovered a new dinosaur that walks upright among all other humans, (homosapien’s). This Dino has a large brain yet amazingly, refuses to use it. The creature is purely consumption-focused and holds fast to a belief-structure that places emotion above science and reality. This Dino is never pro-active and is certain his tribe is the dominant force over the earth. This creature hates reality and will instead drink its own kool-aid before it will accept any implication it does not know everything. In other words, this Dino hates fact-checking!”

Spot on Good job, you be amazed how many of these Dino’s I encounter on facebook and some of my friends. Even my highly educated Uncle has fallen into the Category in which anything left of fox news is considered liberal and the 2%+/- or less of experts are made to look like there evidences of no man made climate change exist equals the 98% +/-. I think the media plays a part as well when it brings on two guest giving them a 50/50 he/she said to a topic when the majority of evidences leans one way. Also the lack of transparency of experts who are funded to keep the Dino’s thinking the same way

Thank u4 the great response. I too have grown frustrated by the false concept of “equivalency” by certain hacks when dealing with what should be peer-reviewed science. It serve no purpose to allow a fringe idea to be elevated to the status of “equal” just to appear to have a persuasive argument. I’m convinced many in the media simply have no idea what they are talking about

I designed my LEED GOLD Certified corporate offices to meet 2 levels of green: (1) help the environment that supports the life of my employees, customers, family and little ole me; (2) lower my business operating costs forever and allow me to be a more competitive business. The money justification seems to work for almost everyone.

Every once in a while, even the Denyasaurus’ are greedy enough to save a buck so the more effective argument for them is not a desire to save their lives; it is a desire to save/make a buck.

Vincent, great post, entertaining as well as informational. I was reading this morning about the Taliban in Pakistan who continue to threaten and kill people (children as well) for having their girls go to school. How is this related to your post? Denying education to protect some belief system whether it be extreme as in this case, or teaching creationism in Texas schools, or promoting the world is only 9,000 years old, or being at war with science, or denying what is obviously happening around you are all paths down the road of irrelevance and maybe extinction. This is one area where I think the media has been too even-handed to people who hold a global warming denial point of view. They are in a minority, yet they have a loud spokesperson network and lot of fossil fuel money behind them, that can combat evidential data. The fact is fixing this problem is very expensive and grows increasingly so. We must act in a concerted manner now. We cannot wait for Newt Gingrich to change his mind again. Well done, BTG

Nth, thank u 4 your response. You are oh, so right with your comment. What I simply fail to understand is why logic is so difficult for some to accept … especially when the logic is backed by solid evidence/science. Thank goodness so many in the world refuse to keep themselves blinded and they are doing something positive to improve the health of the planet and on turn, the health of their families.